Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Unknown Peter Butternut

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03131.15.009 Author/Creator: Unknown Place Written: Michigan Type: Poem Date: 1890 Pagination: 4 p. ; Order a Copy

One poem about Peter Butternut. "My Name is Peter Butternut, I live in Tennessee, a man of wealth and consequence, at least I used to be." "Butternut" was a name given to confederate soldiers describing the colour of their uniforms.

Wells, Hiram C., 1825-1899

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